Distinctly Montana Magazine

Rivers like the Smith and Yellowstone allow anglers to play Huck Finn for a few days, camping on the banks of runs they are fishing. While the expansive FAS system provides a ring-side seat to some of the state's best fishing, they aren't the only way for anglers to find relatively undeveloped waterfront campsites. Many Montana streams and lakes are located on Forest Service or BLM land where primitive camping is allowed, with no ameni- ties. Montanans love the informality of this camping style, perhaps because there's a sense of self-discovery. On perfect summer weekends these casual sites are often more popular than desig- nated campgrounds. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ROAM: EXPLORING THE BACKCOUNTRY Montana's wilderness fishing attracts visi- tors from around the world. In addition to the na- tional parks, intrepid anglers are drawn to our 15 congres- sionally-designated wilderness areas. Because mechanized travel is prohibited, visitors must pack their gear to iso- lated streams and lakes on foot or horseback. Some of the storied wilderness areas offering premium fishing include the Bob Marshall, Beartooth-Absaroka, Anaconda Pintler, Great Bear, Lee Metcalf, Mission Mountains, Rattlesnake, and Scapegoat. Even with these riches, there is much more trout-infested backcountry to explore. Significant swaths of Forest Service land are managed as roadless, even though they're not des- ignated wilderness. With their alpine tarns and streams, the Crazy and Pioneer Mountains are just two alluring examples. For those who prefer not to employ boots or horses, there are also plenty of opportunities for off-highway vehicle enthu- siasts who want to pack a tent and rod. The Tobacco Root Mountains, in particular, are laced with old mining roads, some leading to sweet fishing holes. While Montana backcountry fishing often involves high elevation climbs, there are exceptions like Sluice Boxes State Park, southeast of Great Falls. Here, Belt Creek has cut a wind- ing limestone canyon through the Little Belt Mountains. Trout anglers shouldering packs and rods hike through the chasm on an abandoned railroad grade, doing day hikes or camping in the gorge. 16 A MONTANA IDYLL: FLOAT FISHING Come spring, the most coveted possession in Montana is a permit to float the Smith River. A Missouri River tributary south of Great Falls, the Smith is the only Montana stream requiring a permit to float. The reward is a 59-mile reach winding through a deep canyon, populated with brown and rainbow trout. Because of the fishing and spectacular scenery, the demand for permits is increasing: In 2012, a record 6,156 applications were received for the nine daily launch slots, with 1,061 lucky applicants receiving permits. During a four or five day trip, floaters will find primitive FWP boat camps tucked along the river below soaring ramparts. One early morning on the Smith, my wife, Mary, and I had a cow moose and her calf amble by our tent entrance, a couple feet from our sleepy heads. Another ideal river for float fish camping is the Yellow- stone, especially downstream from Livingston. In contrast to the Paradise Valley upstream, this reach is more braided, offering many islands where floaters can utilize the Montana stream access law to camp Huck Finn-like on cottonwood sheltered islands. Anglers find abundant browns and rain- bows to Billings, with warmer water species like sauger and smallmouth bass further down. The Smith and Yellowstone hardly exhaust the Treasure State's float camp options: Other large rivers like the Blackfoot, Big Hole, Bitterroot, Missouri, Madison, Clark Fork, and Flathead system offer opportuni- ties, although floaters need to respect private property. I've shared some old favorites here, but here's my next dream trip: packing a raft on horseback up the South Fork of the Flathead, which courses deep into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. A multi-day float trip with friends and family should provide ample shots at the sizeable westslope cut- throats that inhabit this pristine stream. Ultimately it comes down to is this: at Perfect Montana fishing campsites at night you'll sit around a crackling sage campfire under a glittering dome of stars, sharing drink and fish stories, and hearing coyotes yip above the river's murmur. In these special places, time slows down suffi- ciently to etch deep, lasting memories. DISTINCTLY MONTANA • SUMMER 2012

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